LEXINGTON, KY—A Mt. Sterling, Ky., man, who previously admitted to being responsible for the distribution of 20,000 prescription pills in Montgomery County, has been sentenced to 150 months in federal prison.

On Friday, April 24, U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced Jeffrey Scott Wingate, 52, for possession with intent to distribute Oxycodone. Wingate was also ordered to forfeit approximately $200,000, several firearms, and two vehicles.

Judge Reeves also sentenced Charles Michael Spence, 39, of Mt. Sterling, to 81 months for conspiring to distribute Oxycodone. Spence acknowledged he was responsible for the distribution of 14,000 Oxycodone pills. Under federal law, both defendants must serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years, following their release.

In November 2014, Wingate and Spence pleaded guilty to the drug charges and admitted that, from September 2013 through June 12, 2014, they conspired with co-defendant, Eric Gonzalez, aka Joel Ramon Hipolito, and others to distribute Oxycodone pills. Judge Reeves previously sentenced Gonzalez to 200 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

According to Wingate’s plea agreement, he also acknowledged that he conspired to distribute approximately five ounces of heroin.

Kerry B. Harvey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Howard Marshall, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; David Charles, Chief, Mt. Sterling Police Department; and Fred Shortridge, Montgomery County Sheriff, jointly made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Kentucky State Police, the Mt. Sterling Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., prosecuted this case on behalf of the federal government.